Supporting structure



April 2l, 1931. L. l. BEcKwm-l SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 27, 1929 Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFrlcE LOUIS BECKVITH, OF DORCHESTEB, MASSACHUSETTS snrronfrine srnn'crnnn Application e August 27, 1929.: Serial No. 388,762.

' This invention relates to supporting` racks, and more particularly to brackets of cantilever type which are associated with racks ot this character. For example, racks of this character may receive garment hangers for the storage of fuis or the like.

In accordance with this invention, a cantilever bracket is provided which may be manufactured at comparatively low cost 1o and which may beadvantageonsly formed of sheet metal elements having the constituent material thereof distributed eiiectively to receive the strains imposed thereon. Furthermore, brackets of this character are prole' vided with means to receive an elongate pipe 2oV like.

or rod upon whichv garment supports or vhangers may be hooked or otherwise secured and which also may serve as a support for suitable shelving for loose fur pieces or the Furthermore, thel brackets provided rby the presentY invention may be readily secured in place without the necessity ot' drilling or tapping holes, riveting, or the like upon the j ob. Brackets of this character are 25 particularly adapted to be employed inV pairs which are mounted upon intermediate vertical posts, thus permitting a substantial p balance between the lateral strains upon a post and only imposing a vertical strain upon so the same in a direction of its extent.

typical in may be secured to a vertical wall or in anyv desired position, but more particularly is intended for use in conjunction with a column or upright supporting standard which may generally be in the form of a cylindrical post, suchas is designated by the numeral 1in the accompanying` drawings. Ordinarily the or the like. vforms a spacer for the outer ends of the sheet brackets 2 are arranged vin pairs at opposite sides of a post land may be arranged in a row so that their outer ends `form a plurality of aligned supports for elongate horizontal elements 3.

The cantilever bracket preferably is com posed largely oi sheet metal which is advaii tageouslyshaped and distributed effectively Vto receivethe imposed strains. Thus each bracket may vcomprise a pair of sheet metal members 3 having body portions 9 of substantially `trapezoidal form withl a short vertical edge at the outer end of the bracket and a longer vertical edge at'the inner end of the bracket. Preferably the upper edge of each sheet metal member 8 ymay be substantially horizontal and the lower edge may be inclined, as shown, these upper and lower edges being'provided with outwardly and inwardly `directed iiane portions 10 and 11, respectively, which are arranged to haveV their edges in juxtaposition with each other at the upper and lower margins of the bracket (Fig. 2).

.Accordingly the bracket may be hollowand may be substantially I-shaped in section, whilefincreasing in depth adjoining the ost 1.v n f.

Preferably a suitable sheet metal spacing platea is disposed between the body portions 9 of the members 8 at the inner endl of A the bracket, being welded or otherwise secured thereto (Fig. t). A suitable support memberlQ for the elongate horizontal barsS may be provided at, the outer end ot each cantilever bracket. Each of the members 12 may be formed of sheet `metal which is bent up to vprovide a box-like rectangular member with extensions 14 which are received between the portions 9 of the sheet metal elements 8 and which maybe secured thereto by riveting 24 Thus, the box-like member 12 metal plates, and 'this arrangement also per mits means'for the convenient connection of the member 12 to the trapezoidal members 8. Preferablyfsuitable aligned recesses 16 may `be'provided in opposite sides of the box-like body portion of member-1Q, being arranged and shaped to receive the elongate bar 3. The

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latter maybe tubular, for example, being 11 formed of ordinary pipe stock, and is adapted to receive a large number of garment hangers or the like.

The inner end of the cantilever bracket may be secured to the upright post 1 in any suitable manner, but I prefer to employ a plurality of substantially semicircular sheet metal elements with oppositely disposed ears 31 which receive bolts or other fastening elements 32 passing through openings provided in the cantilever brackets and which are clamped about the post 1, holding the inner ends of the brackets firmly against the post.

If desired, suitable shelving 35 may be disposed between the horizontal bars 3, having outstanding brackets 3G which are hooked over these bars so that the major portion of the latter are unencnmbcred to permit the ready reception of hangers thereby, the edges of shelf 35 being somewhat spaced from the bars 3 to aid in obtaining this desirable result.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the outer ends of the cantilever brackets may be supplied with members 42 rather than the members 12 to rcceive the horizontal bars 3 or the like, the members 42 being arranged to accommodate bars of different sizes and positively to retain the same in place, if desired. The supports 42 each comprise similar opposite sheet metal elements 43, a filler 44 being arranged. therebetween adjoining the outer end of the cantilever bracket, and the sheet metal of the elements 43 being bent inwardly into parallel juxtaposition with each other, as designatet by numeral 45 adjoining the filler. This portion of the member 42 provides a. spacer equivalent to the portion 14 of the member 12, thus heilig adapted properly to position the outer ends of the members 8 in relation to each other and being connected thereto by rivets 46 or the like. A suitable hook-like member 5() has one end pivotally mounted, as designated by numeral 51, between the outer ends of the members 43, and a plurality of openings 49 in the members 43 are each adapted to receive a pin 52 which also will pass through a corresponding opening in the member to hold the same in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions. The members 43 preferably are provided with cutaway portions that cooperate with the members 5() in providing a substantially round opening for the reception of the bars 3 or the like.

The Support 42 is more particularly disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 429.612, filed February 19, 1930, which is a division of the present application.

If desired, but a single bracket may be secured to the upright post, with this arrangement the ears 32 upon the members 30 atone side, of the post being connected directly to as bolts without the interposition of a second cantilever bracket.

I claim:

1. A bracket comprising a supporting arm formed by two pieces of sheet metal having flat webbed portions in juxtaposed parallel relation and having opposite marginal portions bent an at angle to the wall portion to form reinforcing flanges, a spacing plate between the ends of the web portion of the sheet metal members to hold the same in spaced relation, a support connected to the opposite ends ofthe sheet metal. members, said support having sheet metal parts spaced apart and notched to engage a horizontal bar, the ends of the sheet metal portion being brought into juxtaposed parallelism and extending bctween the ends of the sheet metal members and forming a spacer therefor, and fastening means securing the ends of the sheet metal members to this portion of the supporting member.

2. A, bracket comprising a supporting arm formed by a plurality of trapezoidally shaped sheet metal members having flat web portions in parallel juxtaposed relation, certain margins of some of said sheet metal members being bent out at an angle to the web portions to reinforce the same, a holding element at the outer end of the supporting arm, a thin projection upon the holding element extending between web portions of the supporting arm and fastening means securing the web portions and the thin projection together whereby the ends of the web portions are held at a narrow distance apart, and a sheet metal spacer between the other ends of the Web portions.

3. A bracket comprising an intermediate supporting arm formed by a pair of sheet metal members having fiat web portions in parallel juxtaposed relation, certain margins of said sheet metal members being bent out at an angle to the web portions to reinforce the same, a holding element comprising a boxlike member of sheet metal at the outer end of the supporting arm, a thin projection upon the holding element extending between the web portions of the supporting arm, and fastening means securing the web portions and the thin projection together, whereby the web portions are held at a narrow distance apart.

4. A bracket comprising an intermediate supporting arm comprising two closely spaced, parallel, sheet metal members, a hollow holding element at the outer end of the arm comprising a strip of sheet metal bent into rectangular form with the ends of the strip projecting from an intermediate part of one side of the rectangle and in abutting relation to each other, said flanges lying between the parallel. sheet metal members and being secured in abutting relation to the same.

Y 5. A bracket comprising an intermediate each other by suitable fastening means such supporting arm comprising two closely n LeonesaV spaced, parallel, sheet metal members, a hollow holding element at the outer end of the arm comprising a strip of sheet metal bent into rectangular orm with the ends of the strip projecting from an intermediate part of one side of the rectangle and in abutting relation to each other, said flanges lying between the parallel sheet metal members and being secured in abutting relation to the same,

and notches inlopposite upper edge portions of the holding 'element for receiving a horizontal bar.

6. A bracket comprising an intermediate supporting arm comprising two closely spaced, parallel, sheet metal members, a hollow holding element at the outer end of the arm comprising a strip of'sheet metal bent into rectangular form with marginal ends O the strip projecting from an intermediate part of one side of the rectangle and in abutting relation to each other, said anges lying between the ends of the parallel sheet metal members and being secured in abutting relation tothe same, a spacer between the opposite ends of the parallel members, and registering openings through the spacer and the parallel members for fastening members to hold the bracket in place.

7. A bracket comprising a supporting arm formed by two pieces of sheet metal having flat web portions in juxtaposed parallel relation and having opposite marginal portions bent out in opposite directions at an obtuse angle to the web portions and then back at right angles to said web portions, thereby comprising a member which is substantially I-shaped in cross section, a holding element at the outer end of the supporting arm, said holding element having a projection engaging at least one of said web portions, and fastening means securing said projection to the supporting arm.

8. A bracket comprising an intermediate supporting arm formed by a pair of sheet metal members having flat web portions in parallel juxtaposed relation, the opposite A marginal portions of said sheet metal members being bent outwardly at an angle to the web portions and then inwardly toward said web portions so that the corresponding edges are contiguous, a holding element at the outer end of the supportingarm, said holding element having a projection engaging said supporting arm, Vand means securing said projection to the supporting arm.

Signed by me at Everett, Massachusetts, this twenty-second day of August, 1929.

LOUIS I. BECKWITH. 

